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Atomic Hawk Ultra130s vs Nordica Speedmachine 120, fit and flex questions

Jay S

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I have a pair of Nordica speedmachine 120s that I like but I don’t love the liners and I want to get a lighter boot as well . I’m thinking about getting the Atomic Hawx Ultra 130s. Can anyone tell me how the flex of the Hawx Ultra 130 Is compared to a Speedmachine 120? if you soften the flex on the Hawx by 10 will it be similar to the Speedmachine 120? I generally like to ski a 120 flex but want to go with the 130 Hawx for the better quality liner. Also the Speedmachines are a 100 last and the Hawks Ultras are a 98. I really like the room that the Speedmachines 100 last gives me in the forefoot as I have a prominent fifth metatarsal head. Will memory fitting on the Hawks Ultra be able to give me the room of a 100 last boot. Thanks for any advice.
 

onenerdykid

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Firstly, flex is not a standardized thing that can be directly compared brand to brand (or even within brands sometimes), so don't get too hung up on the numbers. Use them as a guide but not as an absolute.

Secondly, if you want a proper 100mm/medium volume comparison to the Speedmachine from Atomic, it should be the Hawx Prime. Like the Hawx Ultra, it built with our lightweight Prolite construction and also comes with a Mimic Platinum liner in both the 130 S and 120 S. Go Hawx Ultra for a narrow/low volume fit and go Hawx Prime for a medium width/medium volume.

Thirdly, if you just need a bit more space off your 5th met, just have the boot-fitter locally stretch that area. Use traditional stretching for small areas and use Memory Fit for larger, bigger problems.
 

jmeb

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I'd add: if it is just a better liner you're after, rather than replacing a worn out boot or boot that fits poorly (which is only way I see jumping from Speedmachine -> Ultra) -- just get a better liner. The newest gen Ultra liners are nice, but for far less than the price of a new boot + fit, you could put yourself in a Zipfit, BootDoc foam, or Intuition and have the creme de la creme of liners. A Zipfit will last probably 2-3 pairs of boots.
 

Quandary

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Last year I went from Fischer Ranger 120+ to Hawx Prime 130. I thought the Fischer, which have vacuum fit, where great. But then the switch. The Atomics are incredible! My left foot has a wideish, long 5th. A little shell stretch and a memory fit and perfect! I love these boots. Great fit, lightweight, incredible performance and warm. I also have the screw pulled which in theory reduces the flex to a 120. By the way Blister has a series (4) of podcasts with Matt Manser, ski boot product manager as Atomic, which are fantastically education.
 
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Jay S

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Thanks for the responses. I have a skinny ankle and calf but my forefoot is a wider. The speed machine fits the forefoot well but I wanted to tighten up the ankle area. I got a pair of Surefoot liners as I thought they would be a good answer but the tongue is not very comfy where it attaches to the boot liner by the toe box and I thought they would snug up the fit better then they did. I was thinking about zip fits but don’t live near a zipfit dealer. Will zip fit sell me the liners directly? If so which zipfit would give me the snuggest for? Thanks
 

Philpug

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Thanks for the responses. I have a skinny ankle and calf but my forefoot is a wider. The speed machine fits the forefoot well but I wanted to tighten up the ankle area. I got a pair of Surefoot liners as I thought they would be a good answer but the tongue is not very comfy where it attaches to the boot liner by the toe box and I thought they would snug up the fit better then they did. I was thinking about zip fits but don’t live near a zipfit dealer. Will zip fit sell me the liners directly? If so which zipfit would give me the snuggest for? Thanks
Address the ankle...accommodate the forefoot.
 

oldfashoned

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Thanks for the responses. I have a skinny ankle and calf but my forefoot is a wider. The speed machine fits the forefoot well but I wanted to tighten up the ankle area. I got a pair of Surefoot liners as I thought they would be a good answer but the tongue is not very comfy where it attaches to the boot liner by the toe box and I thought they would snug up the fit better then they did. I was thinking about zip fits but don’t live near a zipfit dealer. Will zip fit sell me the liners directly? If so which zipfit would give me the snuggest for? Thanks
Best advice is to find a shop that carries Zipfit. There are a few models of different volume and which one will highly depend on how big your foot is and how small the shell is. The shop will also have OMFit to address areas needing more filler.
You can buy online and some people have had great results. Don’t know if they were first timers though. There is a bit of a learning curve to get these to fit...
 

jeff foreman

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Have owned Hawx Ultra 130's for 2 seasons. The 130 flex is much more like a true 120 to be frank. Long progressive sweet flex. Before this boot I skied the Rossignol Allspeed Elite 130's. They are significantly stiffer. I couldn't ski them at 130. I am 6:1 and 190. I have also skied Raptors and the old Atomic M10's in a 120 flex that was softer. I just bought a second pair of the 2019 130's this year in a mondo 29.5. My first pair were mondo 30' and I mistakenly thought they were a good fit. I am a US 13 in my left foot precisely and 13 and a quarter or so in my left. The 29.5's are a true performance fit in that bigger right foot. The forefoot on the Hawx Ultra is very generous just like the boot fitter testers say at *America's Best Bootfitters*. On the Sidas impression brannock device I am a hair under 110 in my right forefoot and 107 on the left. I did not need any punch in the mondo 30 that has a stated last of 106. Lots of forefoot room. These boots are very light and precise. As good as my old Raptors and the Rossi's. The liner is beautifully anatomical. My right ankle is very skinny and yet these boots hold better than others I have skied including Lange's and a Scarpa Freedom-so I have gained perspective the hard way not having access to a stable of horsey boot fitters in my town. You will love these boots!!
 

markojp

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Address the ankle...accommodate the forefoot.

This is THE best piece of advice. Ignore it at your peril. Making room in the fore foot is easy. Filling a bucket heel and ankle is a fool's errand.
 
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markojp

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Best advice is to find a shop that carries Zipfit. There are a few models of different volume and which one will highly depend on how big your foot is and how small the shell is. The shop will also have OMFit to address areas needing more filler.
You can buy online and some people have had great results. Don’t know if they were first timers though. There is a bit of a learning curve to get these to fit...

They're even better with the correctly (foot volume) sized shell. Much better
 
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Jay S

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This is THE best piece of advice. Ignore it at your peril. Making room in the fore foot is easy. Filling a bucket heel and ankle is a fool's errand.
 
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Jay S

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Thanks for the info!
 

ted

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I recommend paying attention to your stance in the Atomics vs Nordica, preferably with Alpine soles and/or in your favorite bindings. No matter what I did my fore after balance just never worked out in the Atomics. I am very sensitive to this and a data point of one. I have not heard this issue from anyone else.
But it may be worth trying a ProMachine to compare to the Ultra.
 

cem

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I recommend paying attention to your stance in the Atomics vs Nordica, preferably with Alpine soles and/or in your favorite bindings. No matter what I did my fore after balance just never worked out in the Atomics. I am very sensitive to this and a data point of one. I have not heard this issue from anyone else.
But it may be worth trying a ProMachine to compare to the Ultra.


being as you can adjust the forward lean on the Ultra from the stock 15degrees to 17 or 13degrees... the 13 degree setting should match the pro machine pretty closely....... then again it may just have been the fit of the boot that made you more relaxed

on a side note the pro machine is certainly a lot closer to the ultra than the speed machine
 

ejj

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Yes--ProMachine and Ultra are competitors--lower volume performance boot that has tread, lighter weight, etc. Speedmachine is wider, etc.
 

Viking9

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Jay I’m not an expert on equipment but Zipfits , to me are perfect for a tight ankle and the need for some room on the forefoot.
They use a neoprene type material on the toe area that makes a ton of sense to me , someone who has circulation issues with his toes.
Check out the zipfit thread where Noodler explains the fitting process and models.
Check out the , I think Lockwoods place in England.
I think I paid 250.00 for my Grand Prix earlier this year which is kind of their “ Camry “ model.
 

DanoT

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One alternative to a foam injected liner is an innovation that Head has come out with wherein the liner has heel pockets that can be injected with a non freezing liquid that can be added and then removed if adjustments are needed, giving a semi custom liner fit.
 

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